The famous Corgi brand was created by the Northampton-based Mettoy company which had been producing pressed metal toys since the 1930s
The first Corgis rolled off the production line in 1956 and quickly captured the imagination of children all over the country. The list of early models reads like a nostalgic who's who of the vanished British auto industry - Austin Cambridge, Morris Cowley, Riley Pathfinder, Vauxhall Velox, Ford Consul and Hillman Husky. In its first year of business, Corgi sold 2.75 million cars catapulting it to the top of the British model toy car sales league.
One distinguishing feature unique to the Corgi model cars was the transparent plastic windows. Among later firsts were model cars with spring suspensions, bonnets that opened and diamond jewelled headlights.
A major boost to the company came in 1965. With the launch of the film Goldfinger, Corgi introduced a model of the Aston Martin DB5 that James Bond drives in the film. And like the car in the film, the model features an ejectors seat and front-mounted machine guns. It was an instant success and sold 3.9 million units over the next 3 years. Other best sellers from Corgi included the Batmobile and the John Player Special Lotus Formula 1 racing car.
Such innovations kept Corgi at the top of the model toy car charts for many decades despite stiff competition from such heavyweights as Dinky Toys and Lledo.
In 1989, toy making giant Mattel took over Corgi and launched a new range called Corgi Classics. These models of vehicles from the 1930s-1960s were a great hit with adults looking for a nostalgic trip back to their childhoods.
The first Corgis rolled off the production line in 1956 and quickly captured the imagination of children all over the country. The list of early models reads like a nostalgic who's who of the vanished British auto industry - Austin Cambridge, Morris Cowley, Riley Pathfinder, Vauxhall Velox, Ford Consul and Hillman Husky. In its first year of business, Corgi sold 2.75 million cars catapulting it to the top of the British model toy car sales league.
One distinguishing feature unique to the Corgi model cars was the transparent plastic windows. Among later firsts were model cars with spring suspensions, bonnets that opened and diamond jewelled headlights.
A major boost to the company came in 1965. With the launch of the film Goldfinger, Corgi introduced a model of the Aston Martin DB5 that James Bond drives in the film. And like the car in the film, the model features an ejectors seat and front-mounted machine guns. It was an instant success and sold 3.9 million units over the next 3 years. Other best sellers from Corgi included the Batmobile and the John Player Special Lotus Formula 1 racing car.
Such innovations kept Corgi at the top of the model toy car charts for many decades despite stiff competition from such heavyweights as Dinky Toys and Lledo.
In 1989, toy making giant Mattel took over Corgi and launched a new range called Corgi Classics. These models of vehicles from the 1930s-1960s were a great hit with adults looking for a nostalgic trip back to their childhoods.